Operation: Poisoned Heart
by Crystal Volcheck
Summary: A year has passed since Dr.Blowhole's defeat and revenge is long over due. Only no one is prepared for what is about to unfold, but everything would be so much easier if Kowalski understood emotion. Inspired by Myde the Turk's Moments '92 Demise' Humanized with Kowalski/Doris, Eventual Kowalski/Rico, Hinted Marlene/Skipper and Hans/Skipper
1. Intro

**This story wouldn't have been created if it wasn't for Myde the Turk and her series of PoM humanized one-shots/drabbles from the collection called Moments. Infact the intro is based off of 'Demise' in Chapter 4 number 92. I absolutely love Kico and that was all it took to lock the plot together. This is slash, they are human, but their personalities follow more of my humanized versions of the penguins such as from my story An Artist's Agonized Addictions.**

**Disclaimer on Profile**

* * *

><p><span>Operation: Poisoned Heart<span>

_-Clank- _Rico felt himself going numb, the dented crowbar slipping from his hand, no telling where the rust began and the blood ended. It was all over, their bitter enemy finally meeting his demise. Automatically his body moved forward to where Kowalski lay still unconscious from the punch he had landed earlier, falling to his knees to hold the scientist. The weapon expert swallowed thickly his fingers brushing against the bruise from where had injected the taller man. Nothing else mattered now, his mind focused on only one thing.

"Rico…" Skipper's voice trailed off in shock seeing the sight before him. Dr. Blowhole's battered body laying mere feet from the other two members of his team, blood splatters and an abused crowbar laying between them.

"What's wrong Skippa?" rushed footsteps quickly ended from right behind, his hand quickly snapping up to block the teen's view of the scene.

"Private, start looking in Blowhole's lab for the cure. I'll call in to HQ, let them know we need a sweep team."

"O-on it, Sir." Silence filling the room once Private left, leaving Skipper to observe the remaining two members of his team. Everything coming clear in that one moment, it made perfect sense that Rico was able to defeat Blowhole's minions, Blowhole himself, and a brainwashed Kowalski.

"It's amazing what things love can make possible." That one word caused Rico's head to snap up his blue green eyes shining with fear and surprise.


	2. Chapter 1

**For future reference:**

**Commander- Skipper age 38, joined age 16, 22 years of service**

**Second in Command (Tech and Medic)- Kowalski age 34, joined age 18, 16 years of service**

**Weapon Expert and Medic- Rico age 31, joined age 15, 16 years of service**

**Private 1st Class – Private age 20, joined age 18, 2 years of service**

**Pairings:****Kowalski/Doris, ****Future Kowalski/Rico, ****Hinted Marlene/Skipper and Hans/Skipper**

* * *

><p>Chapter One:<p>

"I don't understand Skipper. How is openly operating in the center of New York a discrete… well operation?" Private glanced out the large picture window looking out into the busy streets below. The twenty year old hadn't fully adjusted to being in the United States, let alone the city that never sleeps.

"We're in the belly of the beast young Private. You won't find streets more strange and dangerous, well except maybe Cleveland or Las Vegas. Just ask Kowalski." Skipper explained never looking up from his newspaper, he had grown accustomed to the private's questions, the boy was just too naïve at times. Then again he was like that at one point, but having been part of CENTRAAL PARK for almost 25 years one wouldn't be able to tell.

"I would, but, he isn't here."

"He's not? Rico! Do you know where Kowalski went?" He turned to the third member of the team; Rico had been part of CENTRAAL PARK for almost the same amount of time as Kowalski, although he had joined at the tender age of 15 after Skipper pulled him from the streets of a dangerous gang on an Intel mission.

"Doris." the younger man grunted in return exiting the bathroom his face twisted in annoyance at the name as he tried to keep his mohawk from falling, Kowalski had used the last of his hair gel for an experiment the other day and he hadn't had the chance to go to the store. All because Juilen had gotten tangled in some questionable business at the reopening of his nightclub The Groove. It seemed like the everyday thing anymore, no real villains left to challenge.

"The girl who works down at the exotic fish store?" Skipper looked up sapphire blue eyes focusing on the weapons expert, bringing him back to the current situation.

"Yep." Rico sighed allowing his hair falling over his blue green eyes, seeing the pointed look Skipper was now giving him. There was no chance of his commanding officer letting him get away with having a small crush on Kowalski. Then again the same could be said about Skipper's small crush on Marlene, the curator who had a gallery just down the street where he'd sometimes sell his works. Not that Skipper knew that, but then again he sold his paintings under a fake name. He needed some way to make money so he could buy more explosives when it was out of the budget.

"Ah well, she'll never say yes to him."

"She said yes! She said yes!" the hysterical cries echoed throughout the building followed by the front door being slammed shut.

"What the duce?" the three men turned to see the missing member of their team jump into the lounge area.

"Doris! She said yes! We're going out to dinner after her shift is over. I have so much to do, get flowers, and figure out what tie I'm going to wear. Maybe I should go stop and see Marlene first."

"Hold up Kowalski, you just reminded me of something important. I need you men to be on your toes the next few weeks. It'll be the year long anniversary of our victory over Dr. Blowhole or more like Rico's victory."

"Has it really been a year already Skippa?"

"Hard to believe I know. Which is why we have to be careful. Blowhole had plenty of connections left and villains have been known to take revenge even after the grave. I want you, Rico, to take extra care. Same for you Kowalski actually take even more care than Rico. I find it highly curious that Doris is suddenly interested in you."

"I would hardly consider Doris a threat." Kowalski snorted rolling his eyes, oblivious to Rico's glare from across the room.

"Don't let emotion block your judgment."

"I'm not some fool Skipper, I can read what people's intentions are and Doris is only interested in me as a romantic partner."

"Grrrah!" Rico's heavy footsteps interrupted Skipper's retort. The weapon expert fleeing to his art studio on another floor of the building, grumbling under his breath the entire time. Private looked on stunned to the point of nearly dropping his cup of Earl Grey.

"What's his problem?" the scientist raised a thin eyebrow in surprise, not expecting such an outburst, "He still can't be upset over the hair gel thing, can he?"

"Just go get ready for your date Kowalski and try to stay out of Rico's way." Skipper groaned rubbing his temples waving the tallest of the team off. Of course the two clashed every once in a while but that was almost instant. The idea of Doris being in love with Kowalski putting Rico in a jealously overload and Kowalski himself open to stupid mistakes. The next few weeks were going to be dangerous; they'd have to put in some extra hours of training.


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

"_Can I bother you to stay and never walk away…_"the haunting melody drifted down the stairs and into the main lounge area adjacent to the kitchen. Rico had holed himself in his studio since Kowalski's first date with Doris, only coming out when needed, much to Skipper's annoyance. Yet that wasn't even as bad as Kowalski's inability to shut-up about his new found love life.

"Did I tell you that she wants to be a marine-biologist? In fact her favorite animal is the dolphin and has been since she went swimming with them in Hawaii when she was seven visiting her father."

"That's great Kowalski, but don't you think you should be working on some sciency thingy, right now?" Skipper raised an eyebrow at the younger man.

"How can I even think of anything else? I have a date with Doris tonight at 8:00; we're going over to The Groove."

"You cannot be serious! Or did you forget it's your turn to be lookout tonight? Huh, Kowalski?"

"Hmm, what if I can get Rico to cover it, then I'll pull double shift next week."

"That's only if he'll agree to it. This isn't likely considering what happened during sparring practice or did that bruise on your jaw just magically appear?" Skipper rolled his eyes; there was yet another problem to add to the list. When Rico got upset he had a tendency to become quite violent, but he was smart enough to know when to take his anger out.

"I'm sure it was just an accident, he just can't control himself." The scientist chuckled touching the bruise gently with his fingertips. Rico had one hell of a right hook.

"He knocked you out cold for twenty minutes."

"It had have been just an accident, Skipper. What would he have to be upset about anyway?"

"Never mind, Kowalski. Go see if he'll do it, if not, you better go cancel your date."

"I doubt he'd say no."

__A few minutes later__

"No." the weapon expert grunted in response throwing a sheet over an unfinished painting, quickly pulling another painting off another easel and moving it to set against the wall next to the door with another odd number of completed paintings, each one still covered and ready for Marlene to pick up.

"What do you mean 'no'? I'm only asking you for this one favor." Kowalski argued trying to follow Rico's quick movements back and forth across the room.

"No. Not doing that." There was a sharp tone to his voice, startling the taller man. Exactly what he wanted to happen, he was done doing favors as long as Kowalski was shirking from his duties so he could have a little fun.

"Why Rico?" This hadn't exactly been what the scientist expected. Not once had Rico refused to do him a favor not even if that favor could lead to injury.

"Have plans."

"Plans? With whom and for what exactly?"

"Dinner with Marlene, talk about art, and gallery opening. Then going to see Juilen for a few drinks" Maybe more than a few drinks really, but Rico wasn't so sure about that now.

"Juilen?" _Why would he be going to see the owner of the nightclub?_ Kowalski's eyebrows knitted together in confusion. Almost no one could stand him; the guy was completely pushy and absurd.

"Cheapest whore around." a smirk pulled the scar on Rico's face upward watching Kowalski's eyebrows nearly jump up to his hairline. "Not many options anyway."

"Wait…" the weapons expert began to walk Kowalski to the door, the man stuttering and trying to find a train of thought.

"Go ask Private." Then the door slammed shut and the volume of the CD player increased.

"_I used to love struck, now I'm just fucked up, pull up my sleeves and see the pattern of my cuts…"_

Kowalski shook his head in confusion at the other's antics. He'd never seen Rico act this way before, the younger man hated being isolated, and was now doing that to himself. It actually made him a little worried, speaking of worried.

"I'm really worried about him Skipper, I'm mean his art has always been a little odd but, now it's just so pain filled." A soft voice commented from the kitchen, he instantly recognized as Marlene's.

"I don't know what to say about that, you know I think the whole art is the window to the soul thing is a load of bull. But you are right on one thing; he's been 'off' as of late."

"What's wrong? Can't you do anything about it?"

"I know what's wrong, the boy's in love, and just got his heart stopped on with a steel-toed combat boot." Skipper sounded rather pissed.

"Oh…you mean he?" their voices dropped into hushed whispers, Kowalski straining to hear.

"No…still doesn't know… too caught up…in…"

"How could…be so…I hope Rico's not taking it too hard…" Who on earth could they be talking about?

"Kowalski? What are doing? Don't you have a date tonight?" Private greeted him unexpectedly causing him to jump.

"No, I can't find anyone to…Private how badly did you want that Lunacorn Tea set?" an evil smile crossed the scientist's lips that went completely unnoticed by the youngest member of the team.

__8:17pm The Groove__

"How did you manage to get a rooftop table? And all to ourselves?" Doris smiled at Kowalski from across the table, brushing her golden blonde bangs out of her sparkling green eyes. They were the only ones there.

"I've helped the owner out a few times."

"You know, you never really told me what exactly it is you do. I mean I always see you running around and you'll be covered in cuts and bruises." She reached out to touch the bruise on his jaw, feather light and teasing, concern clear on her elegant features, which could be only described as that of a model.

"I can't really say much, except I work for the military underneath a civilian status."

"Then how did you get this?"

"My partner got a tad too rough during training this morning."

"Your partner? Tell me about him?"

"Well he's an artist, for one. Amazingly talented, his paintings are being featured at a gallery in town the end of this month."

"That's quite impressive, how long have you known him?"

"Hmmm, close to 16 years I do believe. He was 15 when we found him during an intel mission slash raid. Uh, forget I said that." She giggled leaning over closer to him.

"What are you afraid of Kowalski? Who on earth could I tell that to? Besides, I don't understand all of that military mumbo-jumbo; I'm always too distracted by how sexy it sounds to figure it out." Doris breathed into his hear, pressing a kiss to his cheek. "So macho, care to tell me some more?" Kowalski blushed, his blood trying to figure out just where to rush.

"I suppose it couldn't hurt."


	4. Chapter 3

Quick translation for those who don't know spanish; they might not be perfect since I double checked using Microsoft Office so...yeah. And yes as odd as it is, my human version of Rico speaks both English and Spanish, I at least thought it fit him.

¡Ni te muevas!- Don't move.

Mover y ambos mueren.- Move and both die.

¿La mujer o la psicosis, cuál de ellas? ¿ Que se van a vivir? Tú decide.- The woman or the psycho, which one? Which will live? You decide.

Lo siento- I'm sorry

* * *

><p>Chapter Three<p>

The next few weeks brought nothing but misery for Rico, no amount of alcohol could wash away what he was forced to witness and hear just how happy Kowalski was with Doris. It was worse knowing that there was nothing he could do and had no source of comfort against it except for his art, but even that did little.

_"What's with the smile Kowalski?" Skipper eyed his lieutenant knowingly seeing the scientist enter their headquarters at 6:00am sharp practically glowing after yet another night out._

_"Doris is the one, Skipper." A stupid smile dancing on Kowalski's lips, the context lost on Private who had just entered the room holding his stuffed lunicorn at his side._

_"Oh, does that mean we'll be hearing wedding bells in the near future?" Kowalski only chuckled shaking his head._

_"You never know Private, but the odds are in my favor."_

"Rise and shine boys, today we need to be on our toes now more than ever!" Skipper's voice doing nothing to help his hangover. His commander needed to learn that he had an inside voice; his room was on the fourth floor while the living quarters were on the first. _Today? Damn, has it been a year already? _He looked over at the clock on the nightstand 5:30 staring at him in vivid neon green before glancing over at the bed on the other side of the room to see that Private had already gotten up. Skipper had actually allowed him sleep in with what today's date was? He shrugged and began to get ready.

"Morning, Rico! I talked Skipper into letting you sleep in, hope you don't mind." Private chirped looking up from behind the fridge door. The boy was really to adorable at times, like a younger brother to him, much like some of his fellow gang members before Skipper had found him, Rico smiled nodding his head in a way to say 'thank-you', his voice too rough to even understand in the morning upon waking, although he could manage some understandable Spanish at this hour.

"It's the man of the hour! I hope you're on ready for today; your first assignment is to go wake-up Kowalski. He came in around three this morning just as I was getting up to make coffee, so you can image it'll be like going up against Joey at the gym," A shiver ran down their spines at the name, the Aussie had anger issues that went beyond any means of help. Rico shifted slightly, hacking up a good-sized metal pipe at least 2 inches in diameter before raising an eyebrow at Skipper. "Deadly force is authorized. I like your thinking, soldier."

"Skipper!" the youngest member of the teen shouted in disbelief, Kowalski was still a member of their team.

"And just how would you get Kowalski up?" Rico left quickly smirking to himself ignoring the conversation behind him.

"Doris, not now." Kowalski murmured in his sleep flipping over onto his side, shrugging away the creeping feeling that someone had just entered the room. At least until his felt something cold against the side of his neck, similar to the feeling of a barrel of a gun.

"¡Ni te muevas!" Rico hissed using more pressure than needed; he could see that the scientist had broken out in cold sweat, muscles tense ready to fight. "Mover y ambos mueren."

"Both?" Kowalski swallowed fully awake, the threat causing him to forget about fighting.

" ¿La mujer o la psicosis, cuál de ellas? ¿ Que se van a vivir? Tú decide." The silence that followed was unsettling to Rico; he did feel horrible about playing such a joke on the other.

"The woman." The cold sensation stopped instantly, the 'gun' had been taken back given Kowalski the opportunity to strike. He flung himself at the attacker, freezing in shock to see Rico underneath him.

"Are you insane? I thought that something had actually happened! Why the hell would you pull something like that on a day like today?" The scientist stood quickly to get dressed, relieved that no one had witnessed what had happened. However, he planned to tell Skipper the second he got the chance.

"Lo siento."

"If you're not careful, Skipper could have you removed from duty. You've been rather unstable as of late." Rico didn't respond he couldn't at least not in the way he wanted other than cussing the scientist of in Spanish. "And I'm sure you wouldn't want anything like that given your past, but you have to try to keep yourself in check. I understand that you might be a little hurt over the fact that I have Doris now, since Stacy left you, but you can't pull stunts like that."

"Wrong."

"Oh please, all of us know how upset you were when that happened. Of course it would explain your attitude as of late." The two began to argue, not noticing the smoke bomb that had just rolled into the room. A teal gas filled the room before the two men dropped to the ground.

_Location Unknown_

"See men, this is why I said to be on your toes? Any idea where we could be, Kowalski?" Skipper's voice roused the other three members of the team awake. Currently all four were each restrained on separate boards all standing at a 90 degree angle. Oddly enough Kowalski, Private, and Skipper all in a row, with Rico pulled further away at an angle with an additional restraint around his neck just under his jaw exposing his throat.

"It appears that we're in one of 's old lairs, Skipper." The scientist quickly surveyed the room.

"You're far too smart for your own good Kowalski." A female voice sounded from the edge of the room a petite figure exiting the shadows before them. "No wonder my father enjoyed insulting your intelligence."

"Doris? You're father is ?" the blonde smiled stepping over to Rico.

"He was until your partner here slaughtered him."

"See Kowalski, there was a reason Barbie here suddenly became interested in you."Skipper spoke smugly at the fact he was right.

"No offense, dear, but dates with you were rather dull. You only talked about two things, science and your boyfriend over here," Doris nodded in Rico's direction a low growl sounding in his throat."You made it very difficult to get any information out of you; thankfully you have the same weakness as all other men."

"You gave her classified intel?"

"Well, Skipper…I may have had a few drinks first." a blush spread across the scientist's face.

"He really didn't give me anything useful, which is why I had to do this." She reached into the pocket of her lab coat to retrieve a syringe filled with an odd pinkish liquid. "Thankfully, I was about to get my hands on some of my father's notes, I was about to create this. There is drug when injected into the bloodstream directly can kill a human instantly-" the needle vanished into the side of Rico's neck, the weapons expert losing consciousness; there was click as his restraints released his body slumping to the ground.

"Rico!"The three men chorused fighting against their restraints, a dread over taking them that their team member would be joining Manfredi and Johnson in a matter of seconds.

"This however is not that drug, but a mutation of it, a mutation that has a cure."

"What are your demands?" Skipper's voice dropped his eyes narrowed.

"Simple, you have 15 days to give me all of the files you took from my father's labs in exchange for the antidote," Doris withdrew the needle and reached into her lab coat once more pulling out a small smoke bomb. "We'll be in contact, Skipper. " She left releasing the smoke bomb, teal filling the air. The three men stared at Rico until blackness over took their vision Doris's unspoken words echoing in their minds if they didn't meet her demands. In 15 days without the antidote Rico would die.


	5. Chapter 4

**Sorry for the wait, but I haven't given up on this story yet.**

* * *

><p><strong>Operation: Poisoned Heart<strong>

Chapter Four

_"I can't do this." She laughs her voice on the edge of hysterics as she takes in his shocked appearance. It had all been a mistake, all of the time she wasted, all for nothing. "I'm sorry Rico, but I'm dying. I failed but I couldn't let him take you, not again." A 24 year-old Rico looked at the woman who had stolen his heart. She had been a double-agent working for the leader of the gang that had held him a prisoner all those years ago in Chile. He had just asked her to come back with him to America; she could leave behind the nightmare in Guatemala and start a new life with him._

_"Celia…"he trailed off feeling the start of hot tears sting his eyes. She smiled leaning forward to press a kiss to his lips hearing the calls of the other two Penguins in the distance._

_"There's nothing you can do, Rico, the cure died with Las Chupacabras in the last warehouse. I only have a few days left and I'm going to spend that time taking back the time that was taken from me. I'm sorry."_

"I'm sorry." Kowalski's voice pulled Rico back to the present; he blinked realizing that he had been staring at the white tiles of the floor for the last hour.

"Sorry doesn't cover it Kowalski, it's been 12 hours and you and your team of lab rats weren't able to figure out anything on what that psycho did to him!" Skipper's commanding tone echoed throughout the small room.

"If you just give him more time Skippa." Private was now pleading at the two before a fight could begin to break out, his large sky blue eyes shimmering with tears.

"In theory more time could work. We would ne-"

"We need to take action; this team is heading out tomorrow. The plans have already been sent out to a halfway point."

"You're just going to hand over all of those plans? I thought they had been destroyed to begin with, no one should have that type of power!"

"You handed over top-secret information without any problem, need I remind you Kowalski? We've done deals like this before, even if Doris gets those plans we'll be a step ahead and able to stop her."

"We've never done any deals like this! You're giving her the key the apocalypse!"

"In exchange for the key to save a life, a life that you put in jeopardy, by not staying on your toes like I told you! You purposely ignored my orders, which put one of our own in the direct line of danger, I could have you discharged soldier!"

"What did you want me to do Skipper! You expected me to know exactly what Doris was planning?"

"So it was just a cowinky-dink that Doris becomes interested you around the anniversary of our greatest enemy's defeat?"

"You don't know how long I waited for her, Skipper! Besides you hardly have room to talk! Or does the name Hans mean nothing to you?"

"Don't bring him into this! He's on our side and you know it. You just can't handle the fact that you were wrong!"

"I could care less about being wrong!"

"Then what is this about Kowalski? Why are you fighting me on this?" Skipper stared at the taller man, who returned the glare. Only it was becoming less harsh with each passin1g second, Kowalski beginning to flinch. "Hoover Dam! I can't believe this!"

"What Skippa?"

"You've done a lot of stupid things Kowalski, but this is the stupidest."

"I don't care Skipper! She can't be evil, she's just been misguided!"

"You're willing to let Rico die, because you're still in love with Doris?"

"I wouldn't exactly put it in those words, Skipper."

" Espero que te mueres hijo de puta!" Rico hissed his anger reaching its peak tired of hearing them talk as if he was no longer in the room; shoving passed the scientist and stomping out of the room, ignoring the twisting pain in his chest. But he wasn't sure if that was a sign of his heart breaking or a sign of the poison going to work.

"We're leaving in 3 hours with or without your consent. Private!"

"Skippa!" the youngest on the team fell right into step, holding his chin high as he awaited orders.

"Go find Rico and both of you report back to Conference Room 3 for debriefing." The Brit nodded and quickly left leaving the remaining two alone in the room, only hearing the beginnings of another argument ,"One day you're going to figure out that someone loved you all along, Kowalski." Skipper's voice fading as the door closed silently.

"Rico?" Private hesitated finding himself on the rooftop after asking a group of frightened agents in training who had crossed Rico's path. Which was who he was now approaching the figure crouching on the ledge sketchbook in one hand while the other hand tore drawings to shreds and let the wind take them away.

"Es tan ciego…"light blue eyes met the weapon expert's blue-green eyes an emptiness being reflected that made the former flinch. What could he say? Other than Kowalski was an insensitive jerk.

"He just has trouble dealing with his emotions Rico, I'm sure he wouldn't let you die, at least not on purpose that is. Now we have a mission briefing to get to in Conference Room 3." Rico sighed getting to his feet, trying to shake off the depression, but failing miserably. The sketchbook in his hand felt heavy in his hand, wordlessly he handed it to Private who was left rather confused on the roof alone. He looked at his teammate's drawings, unsure of what Rico meant by handing the book to him. The few remaining pages all holding the repeating image of Rico and Kowalski together, some reflecting sinful thoughts, others pure longing.

"Goodness." Private breathed realizing the real reason for Rico's violent reaction, and the meaning of Skipper's words. Rico was in love with Kowalski, but the scientist didn't seem to notice or care, even as Rico was dying, Kowalski only saw Doris.

"Private! What took you so long? We started 10 minutes ago!" Skipper's voice was harsh as Private entered the small room where Skipper stood between the other two members of the team.

"Sorry, sir, I must have been lost in thought. Won't happen again, I promise."

"See that it does. As I was saying, we are heading out in two hours, it will take roughly 8 days to reach Doris's lair. I know that is cutting it close, but to get those files it took four days out of our original plan, this is the quickest way we can get there and still meet with Doris's demands." Skipper paused sensing that Private wanted to speak.

"What about Rico?"

"I will be acting as medic and watching Rico's vitals throughout this mission. Whatever Doris injected into him will cause his health to deteriorate rapidly after 5 days, but there is a serum that can counteract the effects, but for only a few hours at a time." Kowalski's face remained stoic as he answered the question, glancing only once at Rico and Skipper.

"Wait if you have a serum that can do that, why can't it cure him?"

"It only counteracts the effects of the virus, it doesn't kill it, besides the virus can adapt against the serum."

"Can I continue?" Skipper's tone was low indicating impatience, when no one responded he continued, but no one at the table could focus. They were only hearing the numbers, how much time was left. Never had any one of them felt so much pressure, the clock was ticking and Rico's heart slowed with each tock.


	6. Chapter 5

**Here's a slightly longer chapter than normal, but I wanted some humor added to lighten the plot. Also someone is joining the penguins as an extra hand and plot line.**

* * *

><p><strong>Operation: Poisoned Heart<strong>

Chapter 5

"Skipper, long time no see." An all too familiar voice drawled from the garage as the Penguin team entered.

"Hans!" Private and Kowalski exclaimed in surprise seeing the double-crossing Dane. "What's he doing here Skipper?" the scientist continued to question.

"Hans has worked with Blowhole before, we need his expertise on what to expect. We can't be going in blind on this one, besides we'll also need the extra manpower, even if it is a Puffin." Rico chuckled seeing the faint blush on his leader's face. He wasn't the only one who happened to be head over heels.

"Why Skipper, your words wound me. Or have you forgotten that night in Denmark? I was sore for days afterwards." A sly smirk crossed the spy's features, "It was quite the fight."

"This isn't the time, Hans, we don't have time to waste." Skipper growled pushing past and throwing a set of keys at the youngest member of the team "Private you're dri- wait Rico take the wheel, I want to hit the Midwest before night fall."

"But Skippa!" Rico chuckled taking the keys and running after the leader leaving the other behind confused for the second time that day.

"He does have a point, Private. Besides do you really want to drive from Washington DC to Ohio in under 6 hours?" Kowalski questioned readjusting his bags as he made his way over to where Skipper was arguing with Hans, hoping that he'd be able to find a decent seat where he could avoid his commander's piercing glare. It wasn't fair, Skipper could go off and have affairs with double agents, but he couldn't have a relationship with the daughter of one of their greatest enemies. Sure, she was reason that Rico was dying, but they had situations far worse than this. The weapons expert was simply over reacting, taking out his frustrations over Stacy Perky breaking up with him. Which most of the team believed was for the better, the fake blonde trying to change Rico into something he wasn't. Not even Private was too upset after his fling with Shawna ended, but that was more of the team's doing than the two having a falling out.

"Well, no." Private stumbled trying to keep up with the taller man; everyone was acting so oddly as of late, but he had to stay positive. If he didn't then maybe the whole world would fall apart around him, it was already starting to crumble.

"Shake a leg boys; it's time to head out. Operation: Poisoned Heart is a ago." Skipper announced as Rico revved the engine and peeled out.

"Now Skipper, you never did inform me of what was happening, one minute I was in Sweden tying up loose ends when you called asking for my help." Hans had settled in next to the commanding officer in the backseat, as the other three got out to stretch their legs, it had only been two hours, but Private had gotten motion sickness due to Rico's driving which was more erratic than usual.

"I didn't ask for your help, I cashed in a favor you owed me." Skipper snapped, but sighed knowing the double agent wouldn't give up anytime soon. "Look, Dr. Blowhole had a daughter who just so happened to catch Kowalski's eye. He didn't listen to my warnings when she finally agreed to a date with him, as a consequence we were captured and Rico injected with some type of virus that will kill him in 14 days. She's the only one with the cure and she'll give it to us if we return all of Dr. Blowhole's work."

"CENTRAAL PARK is just going to hand over those files?"

"No, that's why we need you. The files were sent out to various bases, we can't go in and take them, but you can." Hans smiled seeing that Skipper was stumbling over his words, he leaned forward tracing the shorter man's jawline with his index finger.

"I never did thank you properly for saving my life that night." Lips brushed for just a moment, not enough to be considered a kiss, but just enough to feel the tension between them.

"I couldn't exactly leave you there to die, even if it meant becoming public enemy number one." Skipper pulled away first, his heart racing unable to stop the words from leaving his lips which were still tingling from even that brief moment of contact.

"You are almost too much Skipper, but there is one question that you still have to answer for me before I will help you."

"And what's that?"

"When we stop at the hotel for the night, are you getting us a room with one bed or two?"

"We've ahead of schedule by an hour Skipper; I suggest that Rico take a break from driving at least go the speed limit." Kowalski stated about to get in the car, but froze noticing how close the two men were. "Am I interrupting something, sir?"

"Let Private take the wheel, Rico and I need to talk strategy with Hans, you can take shotgun."

"Aye Skipper! Private, you're driving!" Kowalski left shaking his head at the echoed 'ya-hoo' of Private in the background. Fifteen minutes and they were on the road again, but all of them felt that the fifteen minutes taken were really fifteen minutes wasted.

"Kowalski, had you noticed Rico had been acting odder than usual?" Private asked as if said member of the team could hear them over in the next room as they prepared for bed. They had stopped in Cleveland for lunch and managed to add three hours of driving to make it to Columbus.

"I don't think this is an appropriate topic of discussion, Private. Everyone is under enough stress already."

"But you must admit that Rico had been acting differently even before the attack, surely there was a reason."

"No one knows how Rico's mind works, I've been trying to figure him out for all the years I've known him, but he always does something to surprise me, like magically having the only element that could make my cloning machine work." A fond smile settled over Kowalski's face, thinking back to that particular day Rico was helping him in the lab.

"So what was Rico like when he first joined the team?" It was a combination of his own curiosity and catching sight of the smile that caused the question to slip from his lips.

"Rico's story is a little more complicated than that, he's was born in Costa Rica, but was taken as a child to Chile by a gang called Las Chupacapras who were under the control of an scientist. That scientist did horrible things to him and as Rico told me he wasn't exactly cooperative and when he wasn't they'd drug him up and then beat him into submission. It caused him to become addicted to the pain they inflicted.

"Oh my." Private felt his stomach drop, that hadn't been the answer he had been expecting. Not in the slightest.

"Indeed, that's the reason Rico can do what he can, all of those experiments took their toll on his body as well as his mind. By the time Skipper and I were sent on a raid mission to the area, Rico had lost his fight. We managed to pull him from the gangs, he was 15 but he didn't trust anyone, never spoke a word. Nothing like you see today, yet for some reason he opened up to me, began to trust me." Kowalski paused a twisting feeling in his gut as he recalled the other man's story. It wasn't right telling Private all of this, at least not without Rico's permission.

"I had no idea…"

"It's a well-kept secret. You know the first words Rico spoke, actually spoke to me, were 'thank you'. I almost fainted in shock, even more because he then hugged me. Before then, if you even tried to make eye contact with him he would flinch." Kowalski looked over to the door separating their rooms, concern setting over him. The other man had been off the weeks before Doris made her move, he had only chalked it up to getting dumped, but now maybe it was more.

"You know Kowalski; this is the first time I've seen you smile in a while. Rico seems to bring out the best in you wither you notice it or not." Private chirped, but Kowalski was far too lost in thought to hear. He felt as if everyone knew something about Rico that he didn't, something about Rico that involved him. But in what way?

"Could it?...No…that wouldn't make sense…" the scientist began to mumble to himself, pacing back and forth across the small room. "Private has Ri-" –THUMP-

"Damn it Hans! Stay on your side of the bed! Rico quit laughing and that's an order solider! I knew we should have all gotten separate rooms!" The two men looked at the door in shock, deciding if they should check on the damage for not.

"He'll spend thousands of dollars on weapons of mass destruction and research on combining the taste of fish with everyday food, but he won't spend a few hundred for a one night hotel stay." Kowalski sighed as the door was thrown open and Rico fell to the floor in laughter, tears actually running down the weapon expert's face.

The two looked through the open door to see Hans and Skipper looking rather comfortable in the queen-sized bed, if not a little flustered as well. The sight caused them to burst out in laughter as well, joining Rico on the floor. Skipper gapped like a fish trying to control his temper but lost it in a harsh bark of laughter as his team tried to use each other to get off the floor. Rico grabbing onto Kowalski and Private grabbing onto Rico, but ending up in a tangle of limbs on the floor. Hans began to laugh as well, leaning against Skipper for support, tensions melting. They would definitely be hearing the complaints in the morning, but that didn't matter.

It was one of those unforgettable moments, where everything could just be forgotten, but the clock was ticking away making those moments rare.


	7. Chapter 6

** Some of this is old news but I've started a humanized series, Park Avenue set in the same universe as Operation: Poisoned Heart, there's only a few differences between Park Avenue and this story. ****Currently, Welcome to Park Avenue isn't complete but the third/final chapter is in the process of being written. Still go check it out and if you like it let me know by reviewing and ****visiting my profile to vote on what episode you would like see humanized as the second installment of Park Avenue. There's currently a tie between In the Line of Doody and Love Takes Flightless that needs to be broken. ****The polls are open until July 25th. **

**Now on to the next chapter of Operation: Poisoned Heart, hopefully you won't have to wait almost a year for the next one. I'm trying to be better about updating, believe me.**

* * *

><p><em>Chapter 6<em>

_"Damn it Hans! When I say I'm always point, I mean I'm always point!" _ Kowalski and Private shared a quick look before breaking out in to a fit of giggles, which only grew louder as they heard the hushed tones of Rico cussing the other two men out in Spanish. Skipper had left out a few minor details, such as their mission had not been approved and they would have to break into the other bases to retrieve Blowhole's files. Which for once both men were glad they had been stuck in the Jeep monitoring the security feeds.

"_Hey Giggles and Chuckles, the mics work both ways." _Skipper's voice cut through the air in a burst of broken static causing Kowalski to freeze. That shouldn't be happening, unless someone had hacked the signal, his mind zeroed in, keys flying over the keys of his laptop, completely oblivious to Private's shaking hand pulling at the sleeve of his t-shirt.

"Um, Kowalski…"

"Not now Private!" the familiar sound of a gun being cocked pulled his attention; he looked up to see the Jeep surrounded by armed agents in full uniform. "Shit." He could only hope that the others were faring better as he raised his hands in surrender. There was no point in putting up a fight, they were outnumbered and had no way to tell who was a CENTRAAL agent and who was just a military grunt.

As Kowalski and Private began to exit the vehicle, the static from the speakers completely cut out, an obvious signal lost proving that the rest of the team wasn't doing any better.

"Kowalski? Private? One of you knuckleheads answer me!" panic set in, nothing but static coming through his headset just before it fell silent. Skipper reached up and pulled the earpiece out in frustration, if only they weren't stuck in an air vent.

"The signal must have been lost Skipper." Hans wedged himself next to Skipper for the third time as they crawled through the vents. He was really starting to rethink his decision of asking the Dane to come along, but Rico had begun to start looking a little worse for wear and the other two weren't the best at retrieval missions.

"We need to get out of here now; if Private and Kowalski were caught we'll be next." As Skipper slid back, he found himself stuck. "Hans move."

"I can't."

"What do you mean you can't?"

"I mean I can't." As if, to prove his point Hans began to thrash nearly clipping Rico with his boot, which lead to a loud creak as the duct shifted. The three men stilled falling silent, at least until Skipper saw red.

"If we make it out of here, I'm going to strangle you with my bare hands; actually I'm not even going to wait." Just as Skipper made a move to grab Hans the section of duct they were occupying let go, sending the three men crashing to floor in a tangled heap. Between exchanging obscenities and cheap shots not one of them noticed the group of officers approaching, led by a tall curvy blonde.

"And here's the rest of the rookery, plus a Puffin, now that is a surprise."

"Major Kova." Skipper began to untangle himself from Hans and snapped to attention, Rico following to a perfect T while Hans hung back.

"It's actually Major Danvers now, Captain Davis, I haven't seen you since Moscow and Agent Knudsen, last I heard you were in Norway." The woman's dark brown eyes settled on Rico, her expression softening ever so slightly. "Gunnery Sergeant Hernandez, I am truly sorry for what has happened to you, but I'm afraid I just can't let you walk out of here with those files."

"You always did pick orders over morals, Ivana." Skipper smirked earning him a rather surprised look from the others.

"First Lieutenant Eastley, would you kindly escort Agent Knudsen and Sergeant Hernandez to the hanger where the rest of the rookery is waiting." A mousey looking officer stepped forward and signaled for Hans and Rico to follow, the latter looking a little worse for wear after tumbling out onto the floor. "I'll be taking Captain Davis for a private discussion in my office."

Skipper avoided small talk as he followed the woman through twisting halls, he hadn't seen her for at least 10 years and breaking on to her base to steal files certainly wasn't the best way to reconnect. Though he was surprised to see her on an air base in Oklahoma, last he had heard of the Major she was at CENTRAAL HQ in DC as one of the bigwigs. Once seated in her office a long silence filled the room with tension, at least until Ivana slapped several thick files down on the desk in front of Skipper.

"What happened to orders over morals?"

"Nothing, I called HQ the moment Kowalski broke through security. My orders were to hold all of you until morning when CENTRAAL could send a team down to pick you up." A smirk pulled at Skipper's lips, but he fought it down, there had been a reason many officers referred to Ivana Kova as the Ice Bitch. He had liked her at first, but even he had a heart.

"So you just want to wave the files in my face, right? The files that can save the life of a damn good agent-"

"I never said that Rico wasn't a good agent, because everyone in CENTRAAL knows he's one of the best we have and I know he's a damn good man. You seem to have forgotten that I had to evaluate him for CENTRAAL when I actually worked at HQ in D.C. I know how and why every one of his scars came to be. All I need to know is if you really believe that this one life is worth possibly destroying this agency and maybe our country."

"You know, I did forget that you were one of the agents to sign off on Rico, but I never forgot seeing him in that warehouse so bruised and bloody that we thought he was already dead. He was fifteen, raised as a criminal and then turned into a lab rat. I remember carrying him out, his blood soaking my uniform and praying every night for an answer as to why God would let something like that happen to a child," Skipper felt his throat tighten as he fought to say his next words. "I know you never cared about any of your agents, to be honest I didn't think you could feel anything, so you can take my words for whatever value you want to give them." Ivana's eyes narrowed, but she let Skipper continue. "But I know that Rico's life or any of my men's' lives are worth the risk of an entire government collapse. They are all I have Ivana and that's something I would never admit to anyone." A tense silence passed between the two officers, after what seemed like an eternity Ivana finally stood and began to speak.

"Those orders I told you about earlier, those were for Major Danvers, but I've been off the clock for the last 40 minutes. Your boys are waiting in hanger three." She paused turning to look at him as if a second thought came to mind, hand on the door. "You know Skipper what you said about me not caring for my agents may have been true at some point, after all the Hedgehog credo is Defend All but Protect Self, but time changes everything. I'm not the same agent you met in Moscow all those years ago, also there's a bag hanging off my chair, you might want to take." at that she left and Skipper was on his feet in an instant, grabbing the files, but not before catching sight of a wedding picture next to a folded flag displayed proudly in a case on the shelf behind Ivana's chair. He grabbed the bag and couldn't help but smile a bit at the hedgehog embroidered on the top left corner as he stuffed the files in to it. He'd have to schedule lunch with Ivana if his team survived the mission, but he was getting a head of himself, he needed to find hanger three.

Which 7 minutes later Skipper saw a pale looking Rico leaning against the hood of their Jeep in deep discussion with Hans who gave a small wave.

"Alright men and Hans, I have the files, we just have to figure a way out of here."

"I'm sure Private could manage that." a disgruntled Kowalski came from the hanger and nodded his head over to where Private was currently chatting up a Senior Airman. "She just gave him her number 3 minutes after they brought us here, I'm positive she'll escort us out." Not even 30 minutes later, they were back on the road with a full tank of gas.

"If I had known Private's cuteness could be so effective we could have been over half-way to California three days ago." Skipper had taken the opportunity to drive seeing as he didn't trust Hans behind the wheel and Rico had fallen asleep. He looked at the second youngest member of his team and frowned, they still nine days left but the weapon expert's health had been starting to decline rapidly and he wondered if Doris had told the truth about the serum taking 14 days to kill.

Kowalski's voice caught his attention and he brought his attention back to the road only half-listening, which is why he nearly went off the road his mind processing what the genius had to say, "Which I wanted to talk to you about Skipper, I think it might be best if I faced Doris alone."

"What?" The car jerked as Skipper turned in his seat and stomped on the break waking Rico and flinging Hans into the dashboard as the files went flying from Private's hands. "You can't be serious Kowalski."

"I know how it sounds Skipper, but I really think I could talk her in to giving us the cure without handing over the files. Doris and I really had a connection going and I am sure if I go, alone, I can use it to our advantage."

"Have you been thinking about this the entire time?"

"Er, not the entire time."

"You didn't mean anything to her Kowalski! She used you to get to Rico and her father's plans. Who in case you forgot, was Dr. Blowhole and Rico was the one who killed him! Or do you need it spelled out in another way, oh, about this? The girl who rejected you over 16 times poisoned your best friend who was the one to comfort you after she rejected you! Hell he tried to talk you out of the tattoo you got in her honor! You may be a genius Kowalski, but you're stupid when it comes to feelings, your own or others!"

"I know my feelings! I know that I love Doris more than I could ever love anyone else and calling Rico my best friend is a bit of a stretch." The yelling had become too much and Rico undid his seatbelt getting out of the car and making a point of slamming the door as hard as possible, causing both Skipper and Kowalski to break from their arguing.

"Rico! Where do you think you are going solider?" Skipper shouted watching Rico walk down the steep hill as everyone followed his lead in getting out of the car.

"I'll go get him Skipper." Hans spoke the Dane's voice lacking its usual bite, instead he sounded oddly sympathetic. However, just as Hans began to walk down Rico stumbled falling to his knees and began to cough. Private took off with Hans and Kowalski was ready to follow, but Skipper held a hand up.

"Stay put, you've done enough damage." Even from the distance Kowalski had, he could see the blood spill from Rico's mouth just as the other three reached him.


End file.
